Posts Tagged Energy
Energy prices rise by 4.2 per cent in annual comparison
June 25th, 2012 | Thema: News
Producer prices for industrial products were 2.1 per cent higher in May 2012 than in May 2011. As the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reported further, producer prices fell slightly by 0.3 per cent in comparison with April 2012.
As in previous months producer prices were decisively influenced by price increases for energy. In comparison with the same month in the previous year, energy was 4.2 per cent more expensive, which is primarily due to the development of the natural gas price. But compared to the previous month, April 2012, energy prices fell by 0.9 per cent. Without taking energy into account, producer prices in May 2012 rose by 1.3 per cent compared to May 2011. Compared to April 2012 the producer prices index remained unchanged without energy.
German industry deems rising energy and raw materials prices an economic risk
January 30th, 2012 | Thema: News
A large majority of industrial businesses in Germany sees a risk factor to future economic development in rising energy and raw materials prices. According to the company barometer “Energy and raw materials for tomorrow” from the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (or DIHK), 86 per cent assess rising energy prices and 76 per cent rising raw materials prices as negative for Germany as an economic location. In addition, 20 per cent of industrial companies had already outsourced activities abroad or were planning to do so due to fears of supply bottlenecks, according to the DIHK. A total of 1,500 companies were surveyed in December 2011.
58 per cent of businesses feared more frequent power cuts or voltage fluctuations. The general availability of raw materials was also assessed to be no longer assured by 50 per cent of those surveyed. According to their own testimony many companies are counting on efficiency measures as an answer to these challenges. Three quarters have already taken measures to raise energy efficiency or were planning to do so, according to the results of the survey. Over half the companies were also looking at more efficient use of raw materials. Companies also required a well developed energy infrastructure: 92 per cent of the businesses surveyed saw a strengthening of public acceptance of network expansion as an urgent task for politicians.
Increasing significance of energy and resources efficiency
November 21st, 2011 | Thema: News
The significance of energy efficiency in businesses’ production facilities has grown according to information from the overwhelming majority of manufacturing companies. The same applies to material and resources efficiency. This is the result of a current survey by the ifo Institute of the participants in the ifo growth test.
In the assessment of almost two thirds (64.8 per cent) of those surveyed the significance of energy efficiency in production has risen in the past three years. 30.6 per cent stated that it has remained the same and only a tiny fraction of 0.4 per cent reported that energy efficiency had declined in significance. The role of material and resources efficiency is assessed even higher. Almost 70 per cent of companies gave it a larger value.
According to the environmental and ecological overall resource accounting of the German Federal Statistics Office energy productivity in Germany rose by 38.6 per cent between 1990 and 2010. Raw material productivity rose by 46.8 per cent between 1994 and 2009.
Significant increase in German producer prices
June 27th, 2011 | Thema: News
Producer prices in Germany have significantly increased in the past twelve months. Overall, the index of producer prices in manufactured products rose by 6.1 per cent of the comparable value for the previous year, according to figures from the Federal Statistical Office. Energy prices made up a considerable share of this. Without taking energy into account, producer prices were merely 3.8 per cent higher in May 2011 than in May 2010.
At 11.5 per cent energy prices were well above the previous month’s level in May 2011. Mineral oil products were 15.6 per cent more expensive and natural gas prices were 14.9 per cent higher than in the previous year. Input goods posted a price rise of 5.7 per cent in comparison with May 2010. The most important factor here was a price increase of metal of 9.1 per cent. Chemical elements were also significantly more expensive, with a price rise of 8.4 per cent compared to the previous year.
Rising raw material and energy prices increase cost pressure
October 12th, 2010 | Thema: News
Despite positive growth development German industrial companies continue to experience strong cost pressures. The most important factor here is rising raw material and energy prices. This is the assessment of the economic development expert of the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), Dirk Schlotböller, based on responses from industry. To reduce costs companies are primarily relying on increasing production efficiency. Other cost minimisation levers included recycling raw materials and hedging against rising costs with forward transactions. According to the economics expert passing on costs to customers is the last possibility for many companies.